The field of mobile robotics has witnessed several leaps in technological advancements in recent years. Most notable in these advances are the attempts at biomimetic systems, which take their design cues from nature, and attempt to design robots that mimic humans or insects. Design examples for such robots include everything from cockroaches to humans and many species in between. To date, most biped (or humanoid) type robot systems have not demonstrated a high degree of success when traversing rough or unknown terrain. The ambulation control used for mimicking humanoid limbs, body motion and balance is extremely sophisticated and complex. Most of these robots are limited to substantially flat surfaces. The kinematics of these robots are elegant and incorporate whole body dynamic balancing in conjunction with whole body momentum control. The processing necessary for controlling such systems is complicated.
Conversely, certain insect based multi-limbed, multi-legged robots tend towards high-speed locomotion with more simple control systems. These robots have demonstrated high speed and robustness over abstract terrain by using low-level controllers based on reflex methods and tuned passive dynamic elements.
Both biped (or humanoid) and insect type robots have strengths and weaknesses with respect to applicable missions. Biped robots have smooth kinematics while lacking inherent stability, resulting from an inverted pendulum problem facing researchers. Despite these difficulties, advanced control algorithms and mechanisms are daily gaining maturity. Multi-limbed, multi-legged robots, typically with six or more legs, exhibit high stability properties even while in motion. It is desirable if the combined strengths of modern control theory and intelligent mechatronic design could be used to develop a multi-limbed, multi-legged robot that is functional today outside of a laboratory.